Thoughts (I don't claim them to be good or worth your time)

So summer is officially over and I've now been in school for a week. I am still begrudging many a thing that goes with the school season, but as there seems to be no way around it, I'll just have to deal (or run screaming off into the distance--which I still may do if there happens to be a heavily oiled and well-toned man both shirtless and holding a pina colada in the distant sunset...ah, summer).

But life is getting better and I'm learning (like how to hear literary jargon and nod with a small smile Oh, yes, of course... pedagogical, mmm hmmm... while inside I'm rather confused and somewhat dazed).

So onward ho! Bouquets of sharpened pencils and the smell of scotch tape! Let's own this school thing, shall we?

Kids' Camp

I just finished the first day of my kids' camp and HOLY COW. It was intense. Like a five hour birthday party with two different age groups, the majority of both filled with intense, screaming boys. Party. On.

We played with water balloons and had a relay race where the boys had to carry an overgrown zucchini between their legs. Now THAT was amusing. And we made salt-dough volcanos (which we will later explode, much to the enjoyment of all). Some of the kids got very creative--we're talking trap doors and giant rattlesnakes and sea animals of various sorts.

It's only day one of this exciting adventure and we are all wondering how we will make it through.

So I have a sty on the inside of my lower eyelid. Things are swelling out of proportion and it's starting to creep up into my vision. Ew.

St. George

So my mom was in desperate need of a vacation and we decided St. George would be a good place to go at the end of July, when cooking eggs and bacon on the sidewalk is so passe, and people have moved on to ham and asparagus. We're talking 103 degrees average =fun?

Luckily the condo had air conditioning (which is actually a huge step up from home) and a nearby pool with a handful of beautifully tanned and well-shaped life-guards. =fun (probably more fun if they were past high school and knew about the real world, at least a little). But I won't lie, I was totally looking.

It was a rather fun trip. I learned shuffleboard (I'm quite gifted actually. Why am I so surprised? I mean come on, it's me. Don't I just ooze Shuffleboard Queen?). I told Greek myths to the boys (Jackson was rather upset that I knew so few stories about the "Water Guy" aka Poseidon).

We did a death hike in the middle of the day on Wednesday. It was so hot the five of us went through five quarts in like an hour and fifteen minutes. DOOOD. We later hiked Angels' Landing at night (as in walked home in the dark with a wind-up flash light=fun and a little scary). I absolutely SHREDDED my pants slipping of the road while taking a picture. Minor scrapes on the body but the shorts are completely done for. I had to finish the hike holding my pants together so anyone behind us wouldn't get sight of my voluptuously white arse. Yes we can all laugh, ha ha ha.

The boys finally caught their much desired lizard. Hours of chasing the poor animals around hot rocks and sand only to end up in a poky bush. But they were at last successful. They caught one tiny one, but almost caught five, so... they were happy.

Now we just have to get back to the real world... =not fun.

Girls' Night

I have some awesome friends. Like could hold up the world while singing the National Anthem and make you feel like a million bucks kind of awesome. And last night we all got to hang out and it was a BLAST.

It began with a bridal shower. Gifts and food have always been good starters for adventures. Just as a warning, this doesn't end in chocolate smeared on faces, or ripped feather pillows. It was much more natural and classy. (Ok, ok, the chocolate would be natural but we had just stuffed our faces at a shower so didn't feel the need for excess sugar and syrup). Instead, it was diet cokes and North and South, which, to me, is *perfection*.

Oh, by the way, I totally made a double-layered cheesecake for the shower. It was my first cheesecake ever and I ROCKED IT. Everyone loved it (so what if I was threatening them with a serrated knife covered in goo?). But yeah. AWESOME. I even made a legit Devil's Food Cake from scratch for the in between layers. I should be a chef or something. One that threatens people to like my food. (You can do it, Bruce!)

But anyway. Fabulous friends make life so much easier. We went over my life last night, and now I know where I'm headed, and feel so much better about it all. I'm glad we discussed it. Plus they are just inspiring people. Like what they've been through and how they've come out on top. It's worth some serious chicken soup (the good kind, not the kind some granny covered in cheese cuz she thought it sounded cute). Anyhoo. They make me marvel, and I'm so happy that my life is filled with such people.

And HEY! I made a cheesecake!

*ps, to those who may be involved, this is not meant to make you feel awkward, uncomfortable, or any other disagreeable feelings. Don't feel the need to reciprocate or anything. I just love you.

Bear Lake Weekend

My family typically goes to Bear Lake for the 4th of July. Typically, as well, the boys check out Lake Bloomington, which is a small lake surrounded by coldness. Look hither:

Notice those little dots on the snow? That would be the male members of my family plus a knee board which they used to sled down into the water.

Like this!

Does it not look ridiculously fun?

Exactly.

That's why I didn't go for it. I let stupidity reign only so much.

Here is one brother attempting to warm up afterwards.

And here is my dad suffering from a similar brain freeze. We're sitting in the sun judging the rope swingers. Obviously I was not that impressed. Most the attempters were show-offs with no talent (which is a little contrary to the point of a show-off, don't you think? It's like fat people in small swimsuits. If you don't have it, don't flaunt it.)

Also at Lake Bloomington we saw a small dog that was 1/2 golden retriever and 1/2 wiener dog. Now isn't that a question to the universe? Who in the world allowed that? And how in the world did it happen?

The result was actually quite fun, despite any misgivings you may have; the golden retriever personality in a much more containable size.